Cork star Conor Lehane facing injury layoff

Midleton’s hopes of regaining the Cork SHC title have received a blow with the news Cork star Conor Lehane is likely to miss the rest of the club’s campaign.

Lehane, the Cork club player of the year when the Magpies won a first county championship in 22 years in 2013, suffered the injury in a challenge game against Waterford side Tallow at the weekend.

An MRI scan showed he had sustained a grade 3 rupture of the rectus femoris, one of four muscles in his quadriceps. Early conservative estimates suggest he will spend at least 10 weeks on the sideline, effectively ruling him out of the remainder of the county championship.

“As it stands, we’re ruling Conor out for the remainder of the county championship until we establish anything further,” said Midleton manager Jerry Wallace. “It’s hugely disappointing for Conor and for the rest of us,but the most important thing is he is given the time to recover fully and not rushed back. The injury will possibly rule him out for up to 10 weeks. He is starting rehab on Tuesday next to allow scarring to occur effectively. This has been confirmed to us by the appropriate medical personnel.”

Assuming there are no hitches in Lehane’s rehabilitation, it is unlikely the attacker will miss any inter-county action with Cork, as the Waterford Crystal Cup won’t begin until January of 2016.

A win against St Finbarr’s in the fourth round of the championship last Saturday week sent Midleton into the quarter-finals of the county championship, where they are due to face Douglas – who eliminated them last year – on September 5.

The Cork county final is slated for October 4, which would be too soon for Lehane. In the Munster championship, the Cork winners will meet the side which emerges from Waterford on the weekend of November 7/8, which is 10 weeks from this weekend. Such considerations are not occupying Midleton at the moment, however, with the focus on ensuring he makes a full recovery.

“We see this injury to Conor as a personal and collective setback to our club’s senior hurling aspirations,” Wallace said.

“The players, management and club supporters and officials of Midleton GAA Club would like to wish him the very best of luck in recovering from this injury and offer him support and guidance.”